The present invention concerns an, "Inflatable Mini-Collar Life Preserver", to be worn continuously around the neck by any individual. The Mini-Collar is provided with means of expansible envelopes able to expand under the pressure of air released from a frame container in the event involving the danger of drowning.
Life preservers are known to last a long time under different types of construction and manner to be worn. It is a real challenge to try to build a new type of life preserver. Many of previous inventions all have various types of drawbacks such as poor construction,or too complicated,for example foreign or U.S.A., patents FR.-788,421, -U.S. Pat. Nos.,-2,766,466; -3,798,692; or 4,662,850, are life jackets which typically can be donned prior to the emergency situation, or at least prior to entering the water. In the event that the vest must be donned after the person is in the water the configuration of the vest becomes extremely cumbersome and complex, because many life vests include numerous belts and buckles which may also have to be unfastened prior to putting on the vest.
Also the inflation devices must be operated and especially if the person becomes unconscious, the vest actually creates an unsafe and hazardous condition.
Moreover the lifebelt like DE.No.-135,858;-FR.Nos.-10,858;- 32,195;- 24,854;- or U.S. Pat. Nos.-3,119,132;-4,701,145;-5,178,569 are different type of life preserver apparatus which as prior patents have a serious drawbacks because the flotation volume develops at the level of the waist of the wearer which is below the center of gravity of the wearer. Such apparatus is incapable of keeping the person stable on the surface of the water while assuring that the person's head remains above the surface.
Furthermore the Collar life preservers types of apparatus has serious drawbacks such as- GB.No.-2,130,972, which discloses a harness which also enfolds the neck and comprises one single chamber and one single container of gas under pressure. Besides being hard to put on in the event of panic or an emergency, it includes only one chamber and one container of gas. Moreover, the actuation system provides for the operation of cords or ropes, which are not only dangerous in the event of panic but are also hard to locate and actuate. U.S. Pat. No.-3,321,785, discloses a collar with two watertight containers which can be inflated by actuating two containers of gas under pressure. This disclosure includes a collar which is hard to wear and has protruding parts that are easily broken and dangerous for the user. Moreover, the means to actuate the containers of gas under pressure are unreliable and hard to operate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,230, discloses a collar with a watertight container which can be inflated by actuating a container of gas under pressure. This teaching entails, first of all, less safety since there is only one watertight container and one container of gas; moreover, the system for actuation of the gas container is not workable, the system for putting on and securing the collar is net safe and is hard to use in the event of panic, and besides, the structure of the collar is fragile and readily breakable.
Furthermore, all the above mentioned apparatus are too big to be carried on continuously and all are bulky, irksome to wear, and very ugly.
With the above and other objects in view, I present a new type of Mini-Collar life preserver which is as constructed very simple, very light, very small, that when it is taken off you can put it in your pocket, moreover, is very comfortable and could be worn continuously, very easy to be constructed, inexpensive, and extremely important very, very easy to be operated in the event of panic or an emergency.